THE CZECHS – A NATION WITHOUT BORDERS – A VIEW FROM THE EAST

We who live outside of the Czech Republic have the advantage of living in a multicultural environment.

For more than twenty years I have been engaged in Czech and Slovak radio broadcasting in Rumania. I know a lot about the people and about their life style in this country.

Czechs and Slovaks have been moving to Rumania since the 19th century mostly for economic reasons. They kept to themselves and thus retained their original languages and culture. There are still six purely Czech villages in the southern part near Danaj, namely Svata Helena, Anik, Bigr, Eibental, Sumice and Rovensko. But many Czechs and Slovaks live also in culturally mixed communities.

There are, however, practically no more Czech schools in Rumania. The state does support minority schools and would open a school for as few as five students. But most parents do not take advantage of this opportunity. Even in the most modern and well equipped school named after J. A. Komensky the students are taught in Czech only in the first four grades of elementary school. Beginning with the 5th grade, the students are taught in Rumanian. Czech is taught only as an elective or as one of the required subjects.